


Busting Fences

by NakhudaNyx



Series: Seasons Of The Commonwealth [4]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Baseball, Canon-Typical Violence, Concussions, Diamond City, Face Punching, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-22
Updated: 2017-04-22
Packaged: 2018-10-22 12:32:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10697091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NakhudaNyx/pseuds/NakhudaNyx
Summary: Danse finds out how wicked Nyx's right hook is first hand.





	Busting Fences

**Author's Note:**

> April's submission for #12ficsof2017

Three months after Nyx’s brush with death courtesy of an Alpha Deathclaw attack, the Commonwealth was finally shifted fully into its fall season. The crisp air was quite refreshing and a welcome reprieve from the sweltering heat the summer provided. Danse was eternally thankful that her recovery was speedy and without complication, though he’s not a fan of how she got her strength back. She had often bragged about having a mean right hook, but after meeting, freeing, and then training with a bare-knuckle junkie prize fighter named Cait he had no doubt Nyx could best anyone in close-quarters combat.

Which is why the situation she currently found herself in made Danse nervous.

The pair had made a stop in Diamond City to re-supply and take a day of R&R before pushing south-east. Danse was finishing up his ammo transaction with Arturo when raised voices began to sound over the normal bustle of the marketplace. Apparently, while securing rooms at the Dugout Inn, Nyx had run into Moe Cronin, the owner and purveyor of Swatters. He often professed a love for the ancient game of baseball but apparently knew nothing about how it was actually played, if Nyx’s comments were anything to go by.

“Just admit it, you have no idea how baseball was played! You can’t turn lies about a great American pastime into a viable business model!” Nyx, Danse could tell, was getting mighty frustrated with the vendor.

“No, I’m right. That’s how it was played! What purpose would a swatter have other than to smash skulls in?” Moe argued, hands on his hips.

“I told you, _bats_ were used to hit baseballs. The players would use the time that the ball was in the air to try and run the bases until the ball was caught by the opposing team and mitts were used to catch the  ball. It’s not complicated!” During Nyx’s rant, Moe just scoffed and shook his head in disagreement, his posture becoming increasingly tense.

“Ugh, no! the mitts were used to catch _bullets_ , not balls! The balls were trophies for the loser’s families. That’s why they’re signed!” Hands were being thrown in the air in anger and exasperation.

Nyx actually growled. “Balls were signed by talented players as mementos or souvenirs! And _just_ because something’s made of leather and padding, that _doesn’t_ mean it’s bulletproof! Honestly, how could you believe such nonsense?!” Nyx’s knuckles were white with the pressure of being clenched. Danse took that as good of a sign as any to try and break up the argument before Nyx sent Moe’s head into the outfield.

“Oh yeah? What makes you such a goddamned expert?”

Moe’s sharp question was the last straw.

“Because I fuckin’ watched it in person, jackass!” She reeled her right arm back and thrust it forward with all her might, landing a solid blow to a scruffy chin. Too bad it was the wrong target.

Danse never did have the best timing.

“Oh, fuck! Danse?” Nyx kneeled next to her partner, trying to rouse him with gentle slaps to his cheeks. His jaw was already turning a stark shade of violet from the sheer force of her punch. “Hey, buddy. Wake up. C’mon now, get up you big lug.” A low groan finally welled up from the paladin, making Nyx take stock of the situation with a rushing flood of pink tinging her cheeks. “Hey bud, how many fingers am I holding up?” she raised her hand to his field of vision.

“Ugh, eight?”

“Umm, no. Not quite.” Nyx felt the back of his head, studiously ignoring just how impossibly soft his hair was, to find a good-sized goose egg forming where he hit the ground. “It’s okay though, I can handle a concussion. Just let me grab a couple of guards to help me get you to the inn.” An incoherent mumble was here reply. “Just keep those pretty browns open, yeah?” Her blush deepened at the offhanded compliment as she rose.

Moe beat her to the guards and they were grabbing a canvas stretcher to aid the escort when she caught up to them. By the time she returned with the help, Danse was slowly getting his scrambled brain back in order and was coherent enough to scoot onto the stretcher with minimal assistance. Nyx lead the way to the largest of the two rooms she had secured, asking for food and ice to be brought there on the way with a promise of a good tip.

She stacked and fluffed the pillows as best she could as the guards brought Danse to the bed. “Ok, big guy. You’re gonna stay awake for the next few hours to make sure there’s no lasting damage.” A knock on the door signaled of the requested food and ice. “I’m gonna pit this ice in some cloth and then put it on that bump on our head. This’ll reduce the swelling and help keep you awake. You’re also gonna drink lots of water. Trust me, it’ll help, ok?”

“Yeah, ok.” Danse lifted his head to accept the ice pack. “Damn, you pack on hell of a wallop.”

Nyx chuckled at that. “Yeah, I told you. And I am insanely sorry I hit you. Had I saw you coming to break us up, I wouldn’t have thrown a righty. Mostly because my left arm isn’t quite up to snuff yet.” Another chuckle was shared between the two. “Is there any way I can make this up to you? I kind of ruined your day off.”

He took a moment to think it over. “I want to hear every baseball story you have. And I want some of that chow that was brought in.”

She smiled and pulled up an armchair. “I think that’s fair.” She ended up talking for a solid six hours, keeping tabs on Danse’s gently improving wellness, before passing out with memories of great plays and far-reaching homers at the Green Monster coloring her dreams.


End file.
